Wind instrument



Oct. 6, 1936.

Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 24, In Germany 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel construction of wooden wind instruments, preferably clarinets.

As known, wooden wind instruments are provided with a relatively large number of keys and apertured keys, clarinets for example often having 15 keys and 2 apertured keys which are arranged on the tubular body of the instrument distributed in the most practical manner for the movement of the fingers. For controlling the note producing holes, for example in the known systems of Schwedler or- Bohm, one to nine fingers are almost always required for producing every note, which fingers must all act accurately at the same time for the note sounding, this presenting considerable difiiculties. Most of the necessa y keys, even in the best arrangement, are still too difiicult to reach in order to be readily actuated in allpitches. The transition from a to b, that is from the use of one fingerto the use of nine fingers, is particularly difficult. None of the endeavors which have been made to overcome these objections have led to satisfactory results as they all resulted in other drawbacks, for example, in one known construction affecting the proper sequence of the fingering table is necessary, in order to actuate eight keys with four fingers. .The moving of the fingers on the narrow keys is prejudicial. When playing with one finger,the instrument is not held in the hand sufiiciently securely. The counter pressure of more than two fingers fatigues the fingers and makes fluent playing more difiicult. The simultaneous closing of more than two keys influences the tight closure.

The instrument according to the invention differs from the known instruments essentially in that the end hole of the tubular body of the instrument is closed by a fiap and the tubular body is surrounded by a resonance casing or corresponding walls having sound apertures and recesses for access to the key mechanism. Other novel features are the finger pieces of every two keys are arranged opposite one another at a distance apart movable in the direction of movement of the fingers and that in addition to the finger pieces carrier rings are arranged near the thumb for the insertion of the thumb, these rings being rigidly connected with the instrument in a suitable manner. Where necessary, one key may be held open by the next following key in a known manner by a transverse arm or intermediate lever.

The arrangement of the instrument accordin to the invention considerably facilitates the play- :ing technique and improves the sound formation.

By the arrangement of the keys and their op- 1935, Serial No. 17,980 April 27, 1934 crating levers according to the invention it is not necessary to alter the position of the hands relative to the instrument when playing, because the individual finger can actuate two keys without sliding merely by changing the direction of movement. Carrier eyes are also rigidly mounted on the instrument so that the instrument can be easily held by the thenar when being placed. Consequently, when the thumbs are hooked into the rings all keys are easily accessible with the index and middle finger when playing trills.

The resonance body surrounding the tubular body of the wooden wind instrument has apertures for giving access to the operating levers of the keys or the key levers extend along the resonance body in outward direction. The key levers have preferably curved finger pieces and are of a length and arranged favorably adapted to the natural finger position. The Width of the finger pieces corresponds approximately to that of a piano key.

Furthermore the tubular body with the note producing holes is constructed according to the invention in such a manner that all the keys are closed in their position of rest and are actuated from the natural position of rest of the hand. The invention likewise overcomes the objection which exists in the known instruments that the sound trumpet is only fully utilized in the case of a few notes, which is particularly the case in the upper finger positions, so that hitherto for these notes with short vibrating air column the amplifying resonance particularly lacks, whereby the timbre is influenced.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. 1 shows the clarinet in top plan view, the upper wall of the resonance box partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, one side wall of the resonance box being partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on line III-III of Fig. 2.

The tubular body I of the instrument is made in known manner of hard wood and has on its outer surface at least two preferably diametrically opposite fiat portions 2 in which the note producing holes 3 are arranged side by side in a row. The keys 4 consist of a fiat metal cap with a pad 5 of spongy, thick deerskin which is always saturated with oil and bears tightly on the fiat hole edge. So that relatively litle vibration energy is absorbed by the relatively large leather surface this leather surface is covered in the middle, with a rigid disc or metal plate 25 and se cured to the key by this plate by means of a screw. The disc is of a diameter corresponding to that of the hole and may be made of an artificial substance. Operating levers 6 are secured on the keys 4 of. the note producing holes 3 which are arranged in two complete tone' rows, and these levers are provided at their ends with curved. pieces I as counter bearings for the fingers. Sixteennote producing holes are distributed uniformlyon the two opposite sides of the tubular body I, the ends of the operating levers of the upper andlower keys being approached in pairs so that the ends of two operating levers '6' to be operated in opposite directions are situated opposite one another at a distance apart. Consequently, these sixteen keys can be actuated by eight fingers of the hands. 7 The operating levers For example the lower finger pieces may be provided with long spoonshaped surfaces and the pairs of finger piecesfor the ring finger and little finger may be arranged lower corresponding to the position of the hand. Holding arms I2 with ring-shaped end pieces I3 project one from each side of the tube I for inserting the thumbs. Near these arms I 2 the .key levers M for the left thumb and the key levers I5 for the right thumb arearranged. The

latter are provided with longitudinally shiftable rods I6 one of which actuates a flap 21 closing the aperture in the end of the tube. The levers 6 are mounted in known manner by means of long tubular bearings 26 on common bearing rods 8 secured in brackets to. 6 is acted upon by a spring 9 which is preferably formed by a wire spring bent in U-shape, with one end secured to the tubular body I, theother end surrounding the lever 6, so that a compact construction is obtained with favorable spring action. For guiding the long key levers 6 slotted plywood plates I l are fixed on the tubular body I.

The tubular body I is accommodated in a resonance housing ll of any suitable'material and shape. Several housings of diiferent shapes may bekept available so that they can be quickly exchanged according to the amplitude and character of sound required and the purpose of use. The housing ll having sound apertures I8 is provided with sleeves I9 for securing a music stand 20 of suitable construction. 'This latter preferably has a vertically adjustable bar 23 on which at least two hook-shaped clips 24 open in downward direction are arranged which can be slipped over the sheet of music. A strap 2I adapted to be placed around the neck of the musician is fixed on the resonance housing so that the holdfacilitates the placing around the neck. When the instrument is not in use, the strap can'be wound several times around the known protecting cap slipped over the mouthpiece'and fixed to the housing I! by means of the hook. The small strap 2I is preferablyof elastic material.

The positive connection of the key levers may be effected in known manner by a transverse bar on one of the levers.

The range of movement of the key levers can be limited by suitably arranged abutments.

The keys and their operatinglevers are preferably arranged on the tubular body in such a.

manner that the natural movability of the fingers V pering the other fingers;

Each of the key levers same time as the little finger because it can only be moved easily in this instance.

In the case of runs; the lifting of the fingers is facilitated because it is eifected by the natural relaxationof the finger muscles, without ham- The advantages as regards facility in playing are particularly noticeable when playing runs.

It is also possible to simultaneously operate the opposite key levers as the neighbouring finger can slide under one of the levers. For facilitating this movement the superposed key levers are preferably of diiferent lengths.

The great advantages derived from the invention, are chiefly the following:-

Both, when playing slowly and when playing runs the fingers are notcontinually under tension, but are raised so that therelaxation of the hand-relieves the playing finger andthe whole hand becomes less tired. In playing intervals it is not necessary to simultaneously place several fingers on the keys'but only one or two fingers,

so that much greater fluency can easily beattained. The main difiiculty hitherto existing in passing from g to a, bto a. and b fiat to b, c to c sharp is thus entirely overcome. Moreover, in several successive intervals where the same note recurs, the operating finger for this note can remain on the key. 'Another fact which 'is of particular importance for completely relaxing the muscles of the hand is, that the fingers need not carry out any spreading, but operate in their natural position. Owing to the extremely practical and'convenient, lever position (two rows of whole tones) not a single pitch presents considerable difiiculties, that is the pitch or key no longer matters, because,. in the case of semitones only the row is changed, and in'the case by holes about half of which are underneath and the other half at the top of the instrument,- so

that the movements which according to experience require a certain amount of practice, no

longer present any difficulties. It is apparent that the number of possible trillsis very great -der the upper keys the nails are very suitable as guide surface. tFurthermore slight inaccuracies 1 in the wide concave keysiare immaterial. .Owing to the uniform resonance of all notes on the wooden surfaces the. sounds become of uniform character, and the hardness of the clarinetsound disappears, and the timbre becomes fuller. By the shutting off of the portion of the tubular body which is not required a slight damping certainly occurs (without resonance surface), but this is entirely eliminated by the resonance, the .pitch of the tone being made very stable and is clearer even without resonance. Drifting or dropping of the tone is thus prevented, .so that particularly in the case of the notes d, d sharp, f, fsharp, g, g sharp, a andb fiat any swelling or diminishing is possible. The annoyance cannot be caused in the lower portion of the instrument by saliva because the note producing ,holes are made so large thatthe saliva collecting in thefirst key cavities quickly flows out through the holes without influencing the tone as soon as the key closing this hole is operated.

I claim:-

1. A wooden wind instrument with key mechanism, preferably a clarinet, comprising a tubular body for producing the sounds and having the key mechanism, a flap hingedly mounted on the open end of said tubular body, and a resonance housing enclosing said tubular body and having sound apertures and holes, the latter afiording access to the finger plates of said key mechanism.

2. In a wind instrument as specified in claim 1, the key mechanism comprising in combination keys, one registering with each of the note producing holes, and finger pieces one connected to each of said keys, said finger pieces arranged opposite one another in pairs at a certain distance apart and movable in the direction of movement of the fingers.

3. In a wind instrument as specified in claim 1, the key mechanism comprising in combination keys, one registering with each of the note producing holes, finger pieces one connected to each of said keys, said finger pieces arranged opposite one another in pairs at a certain distance apart and movable in the direction of movement 4. A wooden wind instrument as specified in.

claim 1, in which the inner tubular body is of cornered cross section and has at least two opposite plane sides, each plane side having sound holes.

5. In a wind instrument as specified in claim 1, the key mechanism including keys, pads of spongy deerskin one on each of said keys, and a plate of rigid material, of a diameter corresponding to that of the note producing holes aranged in the middle of each of said pads.

6. A wind instrument as specified in claim 1, in which the flap is arranged in front of the tubular body.

'7. A wooden wind instrument as specified in claim 1, comprising in combination with the resonance housing, an aproximately vertical frame, two angle pieces on said frame for holding a music sheet, a transverse bar on said frame adjustable in vertical direction, and two hookshaped clips open in downward direction.

FRIEDRICH CONRADT. 

